California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom exposed children to inappropriate sexual content and indoctrinated them with twisted ideas about childhood sexuality using federal tax dollars. The Trump administration has brought this to an end.Californias federally funded Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) is riddled with radical gender ideology that denies biological reality, rejects gold-standard, evidence-based science and exceeds the scope of PREPs authorizing statute. As a result, California will not receive further federal funding to indoctrinate children.The purpose of PREP, according to its authorizing statute, is "to educate adolescents on both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections" (42 U.S.C. 713(b)(2)(A)). Program materials must rely on "medically-accurate," "age-appropriate" information and are encouraged to display examples of "healthy relationships, including marriage and family interactions" as well as "parent-child communication."KENNEDY'S HHS TERMINATES CALIFORNIA SEX ED GRANT AFTER IT REFUSES TO DROP 'RADICAL' GENDER LESSONSWhile the governors office claims that California PREP provides "comprehensive" and "evidence-based" education, the written curricula tell a different story. Take "Teen Talk," one of the governors courses for middle- and high schoolers. The program instructs teachers to "remind students that some men are born with female anatomy." A boy can, according to Teen Talk, "feel like a girl inside" and so defy his "communitys expectations for behavior." For an impressionable youth experiencing gender dysphoria, "Teen Talk" suggests ways that they might go about realizing their "gender identity" by "changing their name," "altering their body through hormone therapy," "adding or removing breast tissue," or even "transforming" (that is, mutilating) "the genitals."Instead of providing medically accurate, biologically sound educational materials, Newsoms PREP materials teach children a harmful lie that can put young boys and girls in physical danger. These materials build the foundation for young men to compete against women in sports and invade womens spaces, like locker rooms. NEWSOM'S OFFICE DISTANCES GOVERNOR FROM DOJ LAWSUIT VS CALIFORNIA OVER TRANS ATHLETES IN CONTROVERSIAL POSTWorse, the social contagion of gender ideology makes young girls potentially already anxious about their bodies more likely to take puberty blockers or undergo irreversible surgery that can eliminate their ability to have children and increase their risk of suicide.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONParents deserve to know what their children are being taught in the classroom, and we owe them transparency. Under the noses of parents, Californias government codified indoctrination into state law. The California Healthy Youth Act, which was signed in 2016, requires sexual health education to affirm radical gender ideology. But evading parents to provide so-called "gender-affirming" care has not led to better outcomes for gender-confused children. One private analysis of data gathered by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the suicide rate spiked among 12-to-23-year-olds in states with minor access to puberty blocks and cross-sex hormones without parental consent relative to their contemporaries in states that limited childrens access to hormone treatment. While California is free to use state funds to finance its anti-human agenda, it is not entitled to the use of federal grant money. 4-H FEDERALLY FUNDED CAMPS UNDER FIRE FOR CABINING KIDS, ADULT COUNSELORS BY 'IDENTITY'The Trump administration stands with parents to protect children from content that contradicts commonsense biology and refuses to cosign Californias disturbing ideological experiment on childrens minds. Two months ago, we sent a letter to Governor Newsom demanding that he remove all references to gender ideology from PREPs curricula. The letter warned that, should the government of California fail to comply within sixty days, the state would lose all PREP federal funding. On August 19, Newsoms office replied to ACF with a letter stating that California "will not make any such modifications," alleging that California PREPs materials are "medically accurate" and compliant with all relevant statutes. Neither claim is true, and the governor should know better. As promised, Newsoms brazen refusal to comply with federal law has resulted in the termination of Californias PREP grant.This is just the first step. The Department of Health and Human Services will uphold its statutory duty to ensure the content being taught in all state PREP courses is medically accurate and age appropriate. After conducting a thorough review of PREP curricula nationwide, we will put all noncompliant states on notice: follow the law, or risk losing your grant money. Education about prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections must no longer function as a conduit for radical gender ideology. Under President Trump, California will not receive federal funding for its subversive and dangerous indoctrination campaign.

"Fiddle while Rome burns." That ancient idiom captures Americas peril today.While Washington obsesses over Ukraine and the Middle East, the Chinese Communist Party is building the most formidable military challenge the United States has faced in generations. Beijing is adding mass, reach and persistence across sea, air, missile, space, cyber and AI while our armed forces are stretched thin, underfunded and mismatched for the threat.The result? China is preparing simultaneous dilemmas for the United States and its allies, exploiting economic and military gaps we have failed to close. If we dont act, we may wake up to a world where freedom is in retreat and Beijing calls the shots.The National Security Strategy rightly identifies China as the "pacing challenge." Yet our force structure still reflects a Cold War-era dispersion of commitments. U.S. troops are tied down in NATO deterring Russia. In the Middle East, Irans nuclear ambitions and proxy militias demand a constant American presence.9 SIGNS BEIJING'S TAIWAN INVASION MAY BE IMMINENTThis multifront posture leaves our Indo-Pacific deterrent dangerously underpowered. While we talk about "pivoting" to Asia, the pivot never happened. We face an adversary with the worlds largest navy, a rapidly expanding missile force, and new footholds from the South China Sea to theArctic and we still rely on overstretched carrier strike groups and underfunded shipbuilding to deter them.Xi Jinping has ordered the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to be ready by2027 to take Taiwan. History suggests Beijing wont wait for perfect readiness before acting. From Korea in 1950 to Vietnam in 1979, Chinese leaders launched wars despite glaring military gaps because political calculation outweighed caution.Today, the PLAs arsenal is staggering: precision-strike rocket forces with300 new missile silos, a navy of more than370 warships, stealth fighters, artificial islands fortified with missile batteries, and a growing space and cyber force.Beijing now calls itself a "near-Arctic state," deploying "research" icebreakers near Alaska while investing in ports across the high north. These are not science projects but scaffolding for future power projection.I'M WATCHING TRUMP UNITE EUROPE WHILE THE MEDIA PRETENDS IT'S FALLING APARTThe greatest danger is not just Chinas size its the asymmetry. Beijing has designed its forces to exploit "salvo and attrition economics." A U.S. aircraft carrier costs $13 billion; China can build hundreds of long-range anti-ship missiles for a fraction of that.Our missile defenses are exquisite but limited in number; Chinas barrages are designed to overwhelm them. While America spends decades producing a handful of fighters, Beijing churns out missiles, drones and frigates at scale.TheCenter for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments warns this mismatch is unsustainable. Unless we dramatically expand munitions stockpiles, harden bases and disperse forces, we risk running out of weapons in the openingweeks of a conflict.The gaps are glaring. Our shipbuilding industrial base is years behind schedule. We cannotproduce ships, submarines or missiles at the scale required to match Chinese output.TRUMP'S AI PLAN IS A BULWARK AGAINST THE RISING THREAT FROM CHINAOur missile defenses in the Indo-Pacific are limited Patriot and THAAD batteries that could be overwhelmed within hours of a Chinesebarrage. Logistics stockpiles and resilient supply chains are insufficient to sustain prolonged, high-intensity conflict in the Pacific.And U.S. forces remain dangerouslyconcentrated on vulnerable bases like Okinawa and Guam.In 2024, Sen. RogerWicker, R-Miss., ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned: "Our military leaders are being forced to make impossible choices. The Navy is struggling to adequately fund new ships, routine maintenance, and munition procurement leaving an aging fleet unprepared to respond to threats."That stark assessment isnt political theater its reality, and our adversaries know it.Some claimXis grip is weakening. Yet despite economic troubles, he remains firmly in control with no successor, no term limits and no rivals. When Xi calls reunification with Taiwan a "historical mission," we should believe him.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONAnd he may not need to invade to succeed. The PLA already practices coercion below the threshold of war: daily air incursions around Taiwan, fishing militias that harass neighbors, cyberattacks, and relentless political influence campaigns. Each tactic erodes deterrence while avoiding open confrontation.Meanwhile,Beijing plays a duplicitous global game posing as a peace-broker in Ukraine while supplying Russia, deepening ties with Iran, and whispering in Washington about a "grand bargain" that would effectively concede East Asia to Chinese control. That would be a Faustian bargain indeed.Rome is burning. China is not a distant, future threat it is here and growing. We cannot afford to be distracted into thinking Ukraine or Iran is the main event. They matter, but they are sideshows compared to the pacing challenge of China.We must stop fiddling and start acting: surge investment into shipbuilding and munitions, harden and disperse bases, expand Arctic presence, and deepen alliances with Japan, Australia, India and beyond. We need to treat the Indo-Pacific as the central theater of our time not an afterthought.History will not forgive a United States that squandered its advantage while Beijing prepared to overturn the global order. The time is late, but not yet too late. America must stop fiddling and face the fire before the flames consume us all.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM ROBERT MAGINNIS

As crime ravages Americas cities, the moment demands a bold, standardized and reliable solution. President Donald Trump is delivering exactly that with a blueprint for national safety through the deployment of over 800 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., to save our capital from chaos driven by crime. Backed by federal authority and Republican-led state support, this approach proves that law and order can be restored and offers a lifeline to other cities collapsing under failed local leadership. This is decisive leadership in action that builds trust, restores safety and revives economic opportunity. Democrats deny theres a crime surge. They keep telling Americans crime is declining but the reality on the ground exposes the lie. The United States Department of Justice is now investigating Washington, D.C.s Metropolitan Police Department for allegedly manipulating crime data to present a rosy picture of public safety. If a Democrat-run city like D.C. can fudge its numbers to mislead residents, then every other Democrat-led citys crime data must be questioned and reviewed.Families know the truth; America is less safe today.VANCE SAYS NATIONAL GUARD IS 'BUSTING THEIR A-- IN WASHINGTON, FLOATS MISSION EXTENSIONThe D.C. model must be preserved and scaled nationwide to secure Americas future. Washington, D.C., is our national showcase. However, the surge in violent crime, spikes in homicides and carjackings undermines the foundation of the rule of law. Unlike other cities which have governors, D.C. falls directly under presidential authority, creating the ultimate proving ground for Trumps safety blueprint. With troop deployments from Republican-led states like Ohio, West Virginia, Louisiana, Tennessee and Mississippi, armed patrols have been stationed across the city. Since the deployment began on August 11, 2025, there have been more than 550 arrests, including the takedown of an MS-13 gang member previously convicted of driving while intoxicated and drug possession. The results are already clear: crime is being deterred and order is being restored. This is not just a temporary fix but a model that every crime-ridden city must adopt if we want to prevent crime and protect American families.D.C. is not alone in its crime surge. We are facing a national emergency in Americas urban centers. Chicago, dubbed Americas murder capital in 2024, is trapped in a tragic cycle of homicides. In San Francisco, nearly half of downtown businesses have shut down due to shoplifting and drug crime. BLUE CITIES IN TRUMPS CROSSHAIRS AFTER DC POLICE TAKEOVERThese are the direct consequences when Democrat leaders put woke ideology defunding police, soft-on-crime bail reforms and a refusal to prosecute before public safety. The fallout is devastating families left unprotected, businesses closed, and economies in free fall.Democratic critics like Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, New York Rep. Dan Goldman and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser claim Trumps deployment of the National Guard is "overreach" and "militarization." However, this is just political posturing. The reality on the ground is clean as businesses have collapsed, families are robbed of safety and the streets are unsafe. Worse, residents have been gaslit by local leaders insisting crime is down when in truth, the Department of Justice is investigating fabricated crime statistics. This is the Democrats playbook: deny, deflect and distract while communities collapse. By opposing the Guards presence, Democrats are clearly obstructing a path to safety in D.C. and blocking nationwide model that could restore safety and save lives. Trump is cutting through the lies with action that restores safety and accountability.TRUMP ACTIVATES NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO ADDRESS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL CRIME IN WASHINGTONBy restoring order and safety on the streets, the National Guards presence in D.C. has paved the way for revitalization to attract investment, create jobs and offer real hope for our next generation. Imagine this model of federal intervention, backed by voluntary state support, breaking the cycle of decline and crime in cities like Cincinnati, Chicago or Oakland. It would prove what we already know: safety is the bedrock of prosperity.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONThe D.C. blueprint also proves the true power of unity. Republican governors voluntarily stepped up to secure the capital, crossing state lines to protect it and demonstrating real national resolve. This is federalism at its finest, with states working alongside the federal government to achieve a shared purpose. While Democratic leaders double down on failed policies that let crime spiral, Republicans are showing true leadership through cooperation, resolve, and results.Democrats have already introduced bills to strip the president of command and transfer control of the D.C. National Guard to the mayor. This would be a fatal mistake given local mismanagement created D.C.s crisis and cannot be trusted to fix it. Shifting control to the mayor would dismantle the very mechanism that makes this model effective. Congress must act to safeguard this blueprint by preserving presidential authority. Maintaining federal authority ensures our nations capital remains the proving ground for solutions that can be applied nationally.The D.C. blueprint is a roadmap for Americas revival. President Trumps leadership in the capital is not only saving D.C., its laying out a clear path to rescue our cities from endless cycles of crime and decay. It proves what if law and order can be restored, prosperity always follows security. If we have the courage to follow this model, every American community can rise again in safety, opportunity and freedom for all. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE BY MEHEK COOKE

Ben DiNucci is living the difficult life of a journeyman NFL quarterback and was forced to face the misery of being left off a 53-man roster to start the season once again.DiNucci, 28, was an undrafted free agent when he joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. He played in three games that season and started one of those games because the quarterbacks ahead of him were either injured or suffering from the coronavirus.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMHe hasnt appeared in an NFL game since then but has certainly tried. Hes bounced around from team to team trying to find a permanent spot. The latest heartbreak came at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons. DiNucci, who signed with the team earlier this month, revealed he was cut.DiNucci posted a photo of himself having a beer at an airport on Saturday as he made his way back home.FALCONS' MICHAEL PENIX JR ANGRILY CONFRONTS FAN WHO MISPRONOUNCED HIS NAME"Not many beers better than the airport I just got cut from the NFL for the 7th time beer," he wrote on X. "Trust me, you wouldnt understand."DiNucci joined the Denver Broncos in 2023 after the Cowboys released him. He was also on the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints before the Falcons. DiNucci played 10 games with the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL in 2023 as well.Luckily, DiNucci has proven to be a capable quarterback and could find himself on an NFL roster before the season is over.For now, DiNucci said hes still on Cameo for fantasy football bookings."Still firing off cameos for fantasy football draft orders," he wrote on X. "If you need someone who is a man of the people then Im your guy."Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Shedeur Sanders was visibly frustrated on the Cleveland Browns sideline on Saturday night, and he confirmed why that was the case.The Browns won the game, 19-17, but it was Tyler Huntley who led a game-winning field goal drive to come away with the preseason victory. Huntley was cut from the Browns roster since then despite his efforts.Meanwhile, Sanders didnt have the greatest showing in his first game in front of the Browns faithful. He was sacked five times and struggled to get into a rhythm with Clevelands offense.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMBut Sanders confirmed that he told head coach Kevin Stefanski he wished to be the one to go out there and lead the Browns to the walk-off field goal. Stefanski said no, going with Huntley instead and the veteran quarterback got the job done."In the battle of the moment, in the heat of the battle, you want to be that alpha," Sanders said, via Cleveland.com. "You want to be that dog. You want to be out there in that final two-minute drive. So, of course, small things, of course frustrated, but thats what happens when you want to be a player to be able to change a franchise."BROWNS' SHEDEUR SANDERS CONFIDENT HE'LL MAKE FINAL ROSTER DESPITE STRUGGLES VS RAMSSanders took over the game in the second half, and he was on the exercise bike staying warm when he realized he wasnt going back into the game."I didnt know I was out," Sanders said before that Huntley drive. "I was powering up for that two-minute drive because thats just a situation every quarterback dreams for. Thats many situations Ive been in before and I thought I was in, so then he told me I wasnt in and I was like, OK."Stefanski defended his decision to go with Huntley, who was the only quarterback to play in all three preseason games with the Browns. He was brought in after Kenny Pickett and third-round pick Dillon Gabriel Sanders went two rounds after him back in April both suffered hamstring injuries earlier in camp."Obviously, we didnt play great as an offense in the second half," Stefanski said to Cleveland.com. "Thats never on one person. So, we can be better in a bunch of areas and just felt like we wanted to give Snoop a last drive."[Sanders] is a competitive kid. The plan was to go with Snoop there. But, I wouldnt make any more of it than that."There are some football fans out there who believe Sanders is being sabotaged by the Browns, but Stefanski nipped that right in the bud."I dont concern myself with outside type of things, but Im committed to his development like all of our rookies," he said.The Browns have already named 41-year-old veteran Joe Flacco their quarterback for Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, a crucial AFC North divisional matchup to kick off the season. Who exactly will be his backup remains to be seen, but Pickett is expected to be back for the Browns sooner than expected. Stefanski said he expects him back by Week 1.Stefanski hasnt named a backup to Flacco, butESPN reportedthat the Browns have been "planning to keep its four other QBs on its 53-man roster." The fourth is Deshaun Watson, who is on injured reserve due to a torn Achilles.Every NFL team will have to submit their 53-man rosters by Tuesday 4 p.m. ET, so Browns fans and the rest of the football world will know what Cleveland intends to do with Sanders and their quarterbacks by then. Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Shilo Sanders could end up being on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster for the 2025 season despite reportedly being waived following an ejection in the final preseason game of the year.The Buccaneers waived the defensive back less than 24 hours after he was ejected from the teams game against the Buffalo Bills, according to multiple reports. He threw a punch at Bills tight end Zach Davidson.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMIt doesnt appear all hope is lost.Pro Football Talk reported Sunday that Tampa Bay has yet to fully shut the door on Sanders joining the organization as a member of the practice squad. The team reportedly "enjoyed" having the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders in the facility and that the player was "remorseful" for his actions against the Bills.Sanders could sign on to the teams practice squad if he clears waivers.BROWNS CUT PRO BOWL QUARTERBACK AS TEAM TRIMS ROSTER AHEAD OF REGULAR SEASONSanders, the brother of Shedeur Sanders,joined the Buccaneersas an undrafted free agent. He did have a good shot at making the roster before the incident.Sanders transferred to Colorado once his father took over as the head coach of the Buffaloes. He initially went to South Carolina.He played in 21 games for Colorado between the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He had 137 tackles, one interception and one sack during his career. The lone interception was returned for a touchdown.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Italian archaeologists recently gained rare insight into life during Ancient Rome when they found a multi-story apartment building built decades before the birth of Jesus Christ.The discovery was announced by the Special Superintendency of Rome on Aug. 4. Construction crews were digging in Rome's Piazza Venezia at the time as part of the Metro Line C subway project.Officials say the structures spanned several eras of Italian history, as early as the end of the Republic period in the first century B.C.ITALIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNVEIL RARE 2,600-YEAR-OLD TOMB UNTOUCHED BY LOOTERS: 'DOORWAY TO OUR ANCESTORS'The site also contained homes from the Roman Imperial Era the first to fourth centuries A.D. as well as modern palaces that were destroyed in the 19th and 20th centuries.Pictures show the buried ancient structures near the stately Victor Emmanuel II Monument in the piazza.The real gem of the excavation was a multi-story complex that experts believe may have been used as an insula, or an apartment building.The structure was likely used by ordinary Romans, The Guardian reported.MYSTERIOUS 1,600-YEAR-OLD SETTLEMENT EMERGES FROM SOIL WITH RARE ROMAN MILITARY FINDSFox News Digital reached out to officials for additional information about the structure.Those close to the work said the site is like a palimpsest a manuscript rewritten over time but still bearing traces of earlier text."Piazza Venezia reveals a complex palimpsest that makes it possible to study the topography of central Rome," said the post, which was translated from Italian to English."The project, carried out under the scientific direction of the Special Superintendency of Rome, is progressing in full synergy with Metro C and Roma Metropolitane, without delays compared to the scheduled timeline."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERDaniela Porro, the special superintendent of Rome, commended the excavation in a statement."The great fascination of this excavation lies in the sumptuous palimpsest of different eras that has resurfaced before our eyes and must be enhanced in the future station," she said."Once again, the construction of a metro station allows us to rediscover the past of our city."The latest discovery is one of numerous historical finds in the Eternal City that have come to light.For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleAt the Appian Way Regional Park, an urban park in Rome, excavators recently found an ancient bath-turned-baptistery, with evidence of a Christian church at the site.Last summer, construction crews unearthed an ancient laundry near the Vatican.

More details of President Donald Trump's potential deployment of additional National Guard troops to Chicago could come into focus this week.The move comes as the Trump administration doubles down on its tough-on-crime agenda, seeking a larger federal footprint in Democrat-led cities, drawing pushback from local leaders who contend the move is political.TRUMP VOWS TO MAKE DC 'SAFER' AND 'BEAUTIFUL' AS CAPITAL BATTLES CRIME AND HOMELESSNESSOn Friday, Trump said he would address crime in other major U.S. cities, describing D.C. as a "hellhole" before federal law enforcement and more than 2,200 National Guard members were mobilized to patrol the citys streets. "Now its safe," the president said a day after visiting with deployed troops in the capital.U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said last week that more than 700 arrests have been made in D.C. since Aug. 11.Trump said he would expand security efforts to other major U.S. cities across the country, singling out Chicago but offering few specifics."Chicagos a mess. You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent," Trump said on Friday, adding that the Windy City will "be our next one after this," a reference to the current security presence in Washington.Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, said in a statement on Friday that his city has yet to receive details about additional federal law enforcement or military deployments to Chicago. He called the Trump administration's efforts "uncoordinated, uncalled-for and unsound."CHICAGO MAYOR SLAMS TRUMP'S NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT PLANIllinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement Saturday that he has also not heard from the federal government and noted that his state has not requested security assistance.Chicago, home to about 2.7 million people, has topped the nation in homicides for 13 straight years, logging 573 in 2024 alone, according to the city's own figures.It is not immediately clear what the size and scope of the potential deployment in Chicago will be, or when it might begin.Over the weekend, Trump threatened to send the National Guard to Baltimore following an invitation from Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to attend a public safety walk and learn about the security needs."As President, I would much prefer that he clean up this crime disaster before I go there for a walk," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. He added that he could deploy National Guard members to Maryland in order to "quickly clean up the crime." The president added that he did not appreciate the tone of Moores Aug. 21 invitation.TRUMP SAYS HE COULD SEND THE NATIONAL GUARD TO MARYLAND TO ADDRESS CRIMEEarlier this month, the Trump administration rolled out plans to curb crime and the growing homeless population in the nation's capital."The Mayor of D.C., Muriel Bowser, is a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the crime numbers get worse, and the city only gets dirtier and less attractive. The American public is not going to put up with it any longer," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Aug. 10.Trump wrote in a separate Truth Social post that he wants the homeless to "immediately" move "far from" the nation's capital. "The criminals, you dont have to move out. We're going to put you in jail where you belong," he wrote in the same post, adding that the new crackdowns on both issues are "going to happen very fast.""There will be no "MR. NICE GUY." We want our Capital BACK," Trump wrote, adding that more details on these efforts will be laid out during a press conference on Monday.

Political figures once dreaded being hit with a fact-check. Whether it's receiving Pinocchios from The Washington Post or earning "Lie of the Year" by PolitiFact, the fact-checker industry used to carry a lot of weight with large swaths of Americans across all political stripes.But times have changed, at least to now-former Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler, who suggested that he and his fact-checking colleagues were on their heels in his final piece for the paper last month titled "The Fact Checker rose in an era of false claims. Falsehoods are now winning."Kessler lamented how social media platforms allow falsehoods to spread faster and the rise of Donald Trump, who he referred to as a "fact-checkers dream and nightmare" after his first campaign launch in 2015, had eroded the "expectation that politicians would stick close to the truth." Kessler famously launched a first-ever tracker of the president's false or misleading claims, which totaled more than 30,000 during Trump's first term. As Kessler conceded in his piece, "Trump didn't care."He also alluded to the growing distrust Americans have of the legacy media, including the fact-checking industry. But the journalist seemed to put the blame on Trump's attacks on the press, such as calling them "the enemy of the people." Kessler said this has been "undermining faith in traditional reporting."EX-WASHINGTON POST FACT CHECKER HITS ABSENTEE OWNER BEZOS, TELLS HIM TO COMMIT TO SAVING PAPER OR SELL ITIn an interview with Fox News Digital, Kessler doubled down, saying Trump's animosity toward journalists is a "big part of the trust deficit" among Americans, particularly his fans.Though he did own up to one flaw that he and other fact-checkers have."A main criticism, which I think is a fair one, is selection bias," Kessler told Fox News Digital. "We can't fact-check every statement made by every politician. So how do you decide what you're gonna fact check? At The Washington Post, our goal was always to fact-check substantive things that would shed light on policy."WASHINGTON POST'S EFFORTS TO COURT CONSERVATIVES COULD DRIVE AWAY ITS LIBERAL READERS, EX-FACT CHECKER WARNSThat said, Kessler defended the outsized coverage of Trump over the years, something he vows to continue doing via his Substack with essays he says will call out "Trump's bulls---.""I know people have noted, Oh, all he did was Trump. Well, you know, Trump's the man," Kessler chuckled. "He has the biggest megaphone. He's constantly saying stuff. He's not the most accurate. And I also have to respond to readers who are saying, Well, is this true? Is this what he said correct? So, that is a challenge that fact-checkers face.""I acknowledge that sometimes we don't, you know, because we're so caught up in the news or whatever, the latest thing the president said, that we haven't necessarily noticed that statement that Democrat that no one pays attention to said," he added.Critics of the fact-checker industry would say its problems go beyond selection bias, that political bias is also a factor. Many point to how various corrections appear to all flow in one direction. Kessler flatly rejected the notion. "I don't really accept that," Kessler said. "I mean, one thing that's irritated me - so I've written or edited like 3,000 fact checks and the critics always will bring up the same three or four that they felt were misguided. So, yes, occasionally people mess up or the passage of time proved us wrong I would say our batting average is above 800. You're in the Hall of Fame if your batting average is above 400. So I just find that really unfair."WASHINGTON POST BOMBARDED WITH CAKE PARTIES FOR DEPARTING STAFFERSOne of the often-cited fact-checks Kessler's critics attack him for was the poorly aged coverage from May 2020 on the Wuhan lab-leak theory in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic.Kessler's team produced a lengthy video and report titled "Was the new coronavirus accidentally released from a Wuhan lab? Its doubtful."At the time, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, slammed the fact-check on X, linking it to "CCP propaganda." Kessler fired back, writing "I fear @tedcruz missed the scientific animation in the video that shows how it is virtually impossible for this virus jump from the lab. Or the many interviews with actual scientists. We deal in facts, and viewers can judge for themselves.""The old saying, Never tweet," Kessler chuckled. "Maybe I could have worded it better, maybe not, but it was actually in defense of a video that we did, a 10-minute video about looking at quite seriously the question of whether there was a leak from the lab. And I challenge people to go back and look at that 10-minute video it is still quite divided in the scientific community as to whether there was a lab leak or not. We don't have evidence of a lab leak, we don't have evidence of a natural leak, either. So it's really quite divided."The "error" he did admit to, however, was the video's title, which was "Was the new coronavirus accidentally released from a Wuhan lab? Its doubtful.""I have a bias against just question mark headlines. I said, 'Let's give, you know, a little more certainty here,'" Kessler said. "So I added the words, 'It's doubtful.' And one of the reporters that worked on the story was very upset at me for adding the words, 'It's doubtful.'""I said, Your reporting really brings this up. And there are things in there that are quite compelling, particularly like having to do with the genetic makeup of the different viruses. And she said, Yes, but we don't really know. I think you made a mistake here because it's more certain than I feel,'" he continued. "So if I wanted to do it all over again, I would remove that 'It's doubtful.' Now, nothing to take away from the reporting. You watch the video, and you read the article, it still holds up well despite everything that we've found since then. But like I said, it's not necessarily a conspiracy. It's incompetence. And that was incompetence on my part, adding that 'It's doubtful' there."The Post attached a lengthy "update" to the video in May 2021 acknowledging "several new pieces of evidence" have emerged to support the lab-leak theory but stressed that the virus' origin "remains unknown."It's errors like that lab leak fact-check that have prompted Kessler to call on The Post to reinstate an ombudsman, which he called for in his Substack piece explaining his exit from the paper."What I liked about the ombudsman, even though I was sometimes the subject of a scrutiny by the ombudsman, is that it provided a way to explain to readers how a story got produced," Kessler told Fox News Digital. "Under the current system, we might run a correction, but we never really explain to readers, like, how did we mess that up? And I feel like newspapers do a very poor job of explaining how we make our choices."He added, "Why did we decide to cover that story rather than the other story? Why did we take that slant on the story, rather than a different slant? Why didn't we call that person? How did we miss that email responding to our complaint? I mean, there are all sorts of things."WASHINGTON POST REELING FROM BUYOUT EXODUS AS BOSSES HOPE TO TURN THE PAGE AT EMBATTLED PAPERKessler wrote in his Substack piece that his "missive was ignored" by past leadership and concluded that after Post executive editor Matt Murray declared the paper would no longer be covering itself, his hopes of reinstating an ombudsman became "ludicrous." He recalled another fact-check that "blew up in [his] face" and how he "felt muzzled" when he wanted to respond to his critics but was not allowed."I really wanted to be able to provide an explanation to the thousands of readers that were emailing me and my bosses about it, and yet I had to stay silent," Kessler told Fox News Digital.While his efforts to revive the Post's ombudsman were unsuccessful, Kessler remains hopeful that the paper will find a new fact checker."I know that there are a number of editors that told me that it's their mission to make sure that it continues and that they find someone to replace me," Kessler said. "But of course, it's always uncertain when you don't have someone in place. And that's what I was really trying hard was to literally pass the baton."The Post did not take Kessler on his offer to extend his time at the paper to find and properly prepare his successor. Murray seemed convinced in Kessler's conversations with him that The Fact Checker was needed. However, Murray's office struck a line from Kessler's drafted exit announcement about "leaving shoes to fill" and that Kessler heard from other editors that Murray "had a vague, unarticulated concern" about The Fact Checker and that Murray never mentioned such concerns to him in their meetings."It's the best job in journalism, I always say. It's also one of the more difficult jobs at The Washington Post," Kessler said. "And I really, really hope they find someone. I gave them a name of someone that I had confidence in and [I hope] that they bring it back and keep it going. It's just the longer the lights are dimmed in the theater, the harder it is to turn them back on."A spokesperson for The Washington Post told Fox News Digital, "The Washington Post is committed to being a trusted, independent news source for all Americans. We are focused on continuing to serve our users with fact-based journalism every day across all platforms."Fox News' Annie McCuen contributed to this report.

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988.Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein bonded over "money and sex."The claim was made by author Andrew Lownie, who has written an explosive new book about the disgraced Duke of York, "Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York." Its based on years of investigations and interviews with hundreds of sources. It aims to examine the late queens favorite son and his relationship with the convicted sex offender.PRINCE ANDREW WAS A 'BULLY' WHO HUMILIATED ROYAL STAFF THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER: BOOK"I think the reason that Epstein and Andrew were such good friends was that they were interested in the same stuff, basically money and sex," Lownie told Fox News Digital."Andrew gave Epstein respectability and some useful contacts from his role as a special trade envoy And for Andrew, Epstein provided someone who would pay [his ex-wife Sarah Fergusons] bills, someone who provided a ready supply of women and also, as he said in the Newsnight interview, had some useful contacts for him.""It was a win-win situation for both of them," Lownie added.A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace told Fox News Digital they dont answer for Andrew, 65, as hes no longer a working royal. A rep for the Duchess of York didnt immediately respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment.Epstein was found dead in his New York jail cell weeks after his 2019 arrest. The American financier was awaiting trial on U.S. federal sex trafficking charges involving dozens of teenage girls and young women, some as young as 14. Investigators ruled his death a suicide.WATCH: PRINCE ANDREW, JEFFREY EPSTEIN HAD MONEY AND SEX IN COMMON: AUTHOREpstein's former girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in 2021 for helping lure teenage girls to be sexually abused by him. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence.Andrew stepped down as a royal in 2019 following a disastrous interview with Newsnight, where he attempted to address concerns about his links to Epstein. The televised sit-down backfired when the British prince failed to explain his continued association with Epstein or show sympathy for his victims.Andrew is believed to have first met Epstein in 1999 through Maxwell, the BBC reported. Lownie is adamant that their friendship dates back to 1991. Meanwhile, Maxwell told a top federal prosector in interviews released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday that Epstein didn't know Andrew in the '90s."I did not introduce [Epstein] to Prince Andrew or to Sarah Ferguson," she claimed. "That is a flat untruth I'm English and my close friends are all close friends with Sarah and Andrew. And I would not say that I was close friends with Andrew before, but certainly we were friendly and certainly his best friends, some of them, are very close with me."Lowie said he stands by his findings."We dont really know much about what Epstein and Andrew were up to in this period," said Lownie. "Theres still a lot of investigation to be done. The problem is that Epstein is dead now. [Accuser] Virginia Giuffre is dead. Maxwell is in prison Its going to be really difficult unless the protection officers are prepared to talk, and they arent, to find out really what was going on.""Weve got some people who have come forward," Lownie shared. "If they could be persuaded to say a bit more, or if some of the legal dispositions were unsealed, then I think there would be some new information."Lownie claimed in his book that, in 2007, Epstein said of Andrew that "we are very similar we are both serial sex addicts We have shared the same women. From the reports Ive got back from them, hes the most perverted animal in the bedroom. He likes to engage in stuff thats even kinky to me and Im the king of kink!"CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERLownie made a similar claim in the 2023 A&E docuseries, "Secrets of Prince Andrew," which featured interviews with palace insiders, lawyers and experts. At the time, an attorney for the royal told Fox News Digital they had no comment."[Andrew and Epstein] became extremely close," Lownie claimed in the documentary. "You know, real best buddies. There were seven different numbers for Andrewin Epsteins little black book. He had the most intimate details of Andrews life. Epstein said, Theres only one person who likes sex more than me, and thats Andrew."Andrews sexual appetite created an opportunity for Epstein to target him, Lownie insisted to Fox News Digital."I think it was very easy for Epstein to prey on Andrew because he knew he had these weaknesses," Lownie explained. "One was his greed and the need to pay off Fergies debts. And the other was that he had this sexual addiction, rather like Epstein. Epstein needed constant sexual gratification, and Andrew was the same. He was not ruled, shall we say, by his head in a lot of these things."British royals expert Hilary Fordwich agreed."Andrew was nicknamed Randy Andy by the press due to his notorious promiscuity, high-profile flings, pursuits of numerous sexual partners, lack of discretion and shallow materialism," she told Fox News Digital. "Beyond depravity matching depravity, Epstein craved legitimacy and status, while revolting Andrew was seeking gratification. He didnt care about the traditional values of decorum and royal duty."LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"Embracing such revolting, shallow values, putting privilege over responsibility made Andrew a desirable ally for Epstein, who was bent on cultivating a powerful club of revolting men with similar depraved desires, valuing access and influence over personal integrity," Fordwich shared."To make matters worse, if that is possible, was Andrews arrogant, dismissive attitude regarding problematic associations. He repeatedly justified or minimized his relationship with Epstein even after the latters conviction, such as in his car crash BBC interview. That total lack of self-awareness and disregard for consequences fed right into Epsteins warped way of entrapping others."According to the interviews shared by the DOJ, Maxwell insisted she never introduced the two men. She alleged they had an "acquaintanceship" through Ferguson."I think Sarah is the one that pushed that," Maxwell alleged. " I wasn't communicating with Andrew, I wasn't in touch with him. And I know this because I was annoyed, and I felt left out, and I felt disrespected, and I was like, This is weird. I couldn't even imagine Epstein and Andrew together. And I thought that Sarah was trying to put the moves on Jeffrey, if I'm being honest, and I thought the whole thing was annoying, and I was pissed off."Fox News Digital has reached out to Ferguson for comment.Lownie claimed that when it came to the queen, she turned a blind eye.For Lownie, the most surprising thing he uncovered was not about Andrew, but "about the queen." He claimed the late monarch turned a blind eye by shutting down any stories about her beloved son."When complaints were brought to her about his behavior, whether it was his financial irregularities or his sexual behavior, she didnt want to know that was a shocking thing [to me].""We thought the queen put the monarchy ahead of her own family, but here she clearly had a soft spot for her son," said Lownie.In "Secrets of Prince Andrew," Dickie Arbiter, former Buckingham Palace press secretary, said that if the queen had known about who Epstein was, she would have ordered her son to end the friendship and he would have obeyed.WATCH: QUEEN ELIZABETH REMAINED INCREDIBLY CLOSE TO PRINCE ANDREW RIGHT UP UNTIL HER DEATH, ROYAL AUTHOR CLAIMS"Unfortunately, the late queen was a bit soft on her children," he said. "But, given all the facts, she wouldve hardened and wouldve said no. He always listened to his mother, always. The problem is, Andrew would do things without telling anybody."Lownie wrote it was easy to see "how Epstein played Andrew.""The prince was a useful idiot who gave him respectability and access to political leaders and business opportunities," he wrote."What drew Andrew to Epstein? An opportunity to join the super-rich and a lifestyle to which the duke had long aspired, a supply of available women, a chance to make money himself, and someone who would bankroll his life as well as settle his ex-wifes debts. Both men, ostensible friends, used each other, but it was an unequal relationship. According to one of Prince Andrews friends, Epstein to Andrew was like putting a rattlesnake in an aquarium with a mouse."In recent years, Andrew has been attempting to keep a low profile. Its a far cry from his days as "Air Miles Andy." In 2022, he was stripped of his royal patronages and military titles."Hes basically under house arrest at Royal Lodge, [which is] not a bad place to be," said Lownie. "He goes riding in Windsor Great Park. He plays golf. He does seem to get away on shooting weekends, either hosted by him or at friends estates. He watches a lot of TV, which hes always done. Hes quite a loner. I think he sees a little bit of his family, but the daughters seem to be distancing themselves a bit. His ex-wife lives there, but she travels frequently. So shes not always there. Hes got staff, but a lot of the staff have been laid off."PRINCE ANDREWS RUDENESS TO KATE MIDDLETON CAUSED ONGOING FEUD WITH PRINCE WILLIAM: BOOK"Its a pretty sad story from the man who was this great heartthrob, the war hero, the poster boy for the monarchy, whos now living, in some ways, the life of a hermit," he added.Earlier this year, emails published in court documents showed that Andrew was in contact with Epstein longer than he previously admitted, the BBC reported.Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager trafficked by Epstein. She claimed in one of her lawsuits that she had sex with the royal three times: in London during her 2001 trip, at EpsteinsNew York mansion when she was 17, and in the Virgin Islands when she was 18.Maxwell claimed that a photo widely circulated, showing Andrew with his arm around Giuffre, was "fake."" What I can absolutely, categorically say is that I never, at any time, set Andrew up to have relations with any other human being, ever," she alleged.Andrew previously rejected Giuffres allegations and said he did not recall having met her. In 2022, he settled with Giuffre for an undisclosed sum, agreeing to make a "substantial donation" to her survivors organization. British newspapers reported amounts for the settlement ranged from $6 million to $16 million.A statement filed in court said that the prince acknowledged Epstein was a sex trafficker and Giuffre was "an established victim of abuse."Giuffre died by suicide in April. She was 41.